Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Highlighted by a robbed home run by James Quinn-Irons and the season's first stolen base at home (that was not a double steal) by Owen Hull, the George Mason Patriots poured nine runs in two innings to win 9-1 over Saint Joseph's in Sunday's series finale at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va. With their second series sweep of the season, the Patriots have improved their Atlantic 10 Conference record to 17-7.

THE LEADOFF

• Junior pitcher Brandon Cassedy won his fourth game in the last six starts on the mound, with the other two being no-decisions. 
• Graduate student catcher Nick Barenz recorded a game-high two RBI; he was also tied for the most runs scored in the game with two along with junior designated hitter Evan Blanchard.
• Along with Barenz and Blanchard, graduate student first baseman Jonny Wall had two hits on the game. Dating back to April 20, Wall has now extended his hitting streak to nine games and has recorded multi-hits in eight in that same stretch. 
• Junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons robbed leadoff hitter Blake Primrose of a home run at the start of the second inning; the Patriot defense would turn two more double plays on the day and held the Hawks scoreless until the seventh.
• Sophomore right fielder Owen Hull stole home in the bottom of the sixth inning during Quinn-Iron's at-bat. It was the first time the Patriots have stolen home mid-at-bat this season.
• George Mason has swept Saint Joseph's for the first time in series history; the last time the Patriots won a series against the Hawks at home was in 2018.
• The Patriots have won 15 of their last 19 games and now have won 12 of their last 13 home games. They now hold a 19-3 record at Spuhler Field.

The early innings of Sunday's game at Spuhler Field showed strong defensive starts for both George Mason (32-16, 17-7 A-10) and Saint Joseph's (21-23, 14-10 A-10). Patriot starting pitcher Brandon Cassedy put up two clean innings while Hawk starter Colton Book retired the first six batters in order that included four strikeouts.

In the top of the second inning, junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons made a leaping catch over the right center field wall, denying Hawk leadoff hitter Blake Primrose his sixth home run of the season. Later in the inning, the Hawks had runners on first and second with only one out. Senior designated hitter Dean Bergmann ended the inning when he grounded into the Patriots' third double play of the weekend.

George Mason broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third inning. After Book started the inning with his fifth strikeout in seven at-bats, Nick Barenz broke the Hawk pitcher's rhythm with a infield bunt single. Junior designated hitter Evan Blanchard, the very next batter, lined an RBI doube down the left field line, scoring Barenz from first. Blanchard would score shortly after with an RBI single to right field from sophomore right fielder Owen Hull.

Hull advanced to third after a failed Hawk pickoff attempt. It was then during Quinn-Iron's at-bat that he slid and stole home while Book's back was turned to third. After an umpire review, it was confirmed that Owen was safe and the Patriots led 3-0.

The Patriots' pitching and defense locked down the Hawks bats the next three innings, allowing only one hit and two runners on base in that span. Cassedy pitched six scoreless innings with only three hits before junior reliever Owen Stewart came in to start the seventh.

Saint Joseph's stringed together two walks and a single in the top of the seventh with zero out. Stewart and the Patriots limited the damage to just one run after Bergmann grounded into his second double play of the game and subsequent batter Joey Gale flew out to right field on the first pitch.

The Patriots broke the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh, having batted around and scored six runs on five hits. Leadoff runner Lucas Alberti started the scoring when he crossed home plate on a Hawk throwing error during Jonny Wall's bunt attempt. Sophomore second baseman Toby Hueber was on third and Wall was on second when Barenz recorded his second hit of the game in the form of a bases-clearing two run double to left center. Starting pitcher Book was knocked out, and freshman reliever Sam Greer took the mound.

With the Patriots up 6-1 and nobody out in the seventh, Blanchard kept the line moving from the bottom of the batting order and laid down an infield bunt that stayed fair down the third base line, moving Barenz to third. With runners on the corners, Owen Clyne singled through the left side, scoring Barenz and placing Blanchard to third who had begun running to second before the pitch. Blanchard scored during Quinn-Iron's ground out, and the sixth and final run was scored by Clyne on a wild pitch during Jake Butler's at-bat.

George Mason put in graduate student pitcher Daniel Elliott in the eighth inning, their third pitcher of the day. Elliott would go on to record the final six outs of the game to seal the Patriots' second series sweep of the season, their first since sweeping Saint Louis in Fairfax on April 4-5.

The Patriots will travel to Williamsburg to face in-state rival William & Mary in a Wednesday evening game on May 7. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.